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Jamestown: An Essential Components Of A Constitution

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As delegates begin to form a government for the future colony at Plymouth, they must consider how the new colony will be governed. A constitution will serve this purpose. A Constitution “is an antecedent to Government, and a Government is only the creature of a Constitution…containing the principles upon which the Government shall be established, the manner in which it shall be organized, and the powers it shall have.” In other words, a constitution is a document that establishes the system of beliefs and laws by which a country, state, or organization is government and the customs and laws members of a society are required to follow. Essential Components of a Constitution All constitutions begin with a preamble, an introductory, succinct …show more content…

England’s quest for world supremacy was dependent on its ability to expand its land beyond the reaches of Western Europe. During the Elizabethan Era, several attempts at colonization disastrously failed, most notably the Lost Colony of Roanoke. The inhabitants of the Roanoke Colony mysteriously disappeared. With the purpose of rectifying the errors of England’s previous attempts at colonization, the Virginia Company of London was established in 1606. The Virginia Company was granted a charter from King James I of England to establish colonial settlements in North …show more content…

James established a lawmaking entity, the Council of Virginia, which had the authority to “govern and order all Matters-and Causes, which shall arise, grow, or happen, to or within the same several colonies, according to such Laws, Ordinances, and Instructions.” However, the Council ‘s power was vested by the discretion and approval of the King. Further, although the King appointed members of the Council, councilmembers were given the ability to elect their own president. The Council of Virginia was given jurisdiction to establish and operator currency to “pass current there between the people of those several Colonies, for the more ease of traffick and bargaining between and amongst them and the Natives there” as well as enjoy the “gold, silver and copper” found in the colony. Further, the Charter provided subjects born in the colony with the full rights and liberties given to subjects born in England or any other realm of England’s. Upon their arrival in May 1607, the settlers used the charter to establish the Jamestown Settlement. Consequently, the Council became the first English governing body in the Americas. Further, the Council held the first elections in the Americas and elected Edward Wingfield as the first President of the

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